If enacted, HB4453 will have significant implications for the regulations surrounding the use of technology in government operations, particularly those related to financial transactions. The bill will establish criteria for what constitutes a 'covered application' based on its affiliation with the CCP. This may lead to the revision of existing contracts and procurement processes pertaining to financial software and applications, effectively tightening control over digital tools available to government employees.
Summary
House Bill 4453, titled the 'No CCP Financial Apps on Government Devices Act', seeks to prohibit the use of financial service applications on government devices that are connected to or operated by entities affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This legislation aims to enhance national security by ensuring that government technology is protected from potential breaches or misuse linked to these applications. The bill mandates the development of standards and guidelines for the executive agencies concerning the removal of these apps, reinforcing the federal government's commitment to protecting sensitive information.
Contention
The bill could face opposition relating to the balance between national security and technological access within government agencies. While proponents argue that this legislation is necessary for protecting sensitive information from foreign threats, critics may assert that it imposes overly restrictive measures that could hamper the efficiency of government operations. Concerns may also arise regarding how exceptions are applied, particularly for law enforcement and national security agencies, where access to these apps might be deemed necessary for their operations.
World Deserves To Know Act This bill requires sanctions on certain members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and officials of Chinese health agencies. It also addresses related issues. The President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on any foreign person who is a CCP official and who is knowingly responsible for or complicit in (1) the disappearances of whistleblowers and citizen journalists in China relating to COVID-19, or (2) limiting free speech and academic freedom in China relating to COVID-19. The President must also impose such sanctions on specified individuals who have leadership positions in China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention and China's National Health Commission (NHC). The authority to impose such sanctions shall end when the President certifies to Congress that an independent and unimpeded investigation into the potential origin of COVID-19 from the Wuhan Institute of Virology has taken place. The bill also bars federal funds and certain federal student assistance from going to institutions of higher education that enter into a contract with any element or China-based affiliate of the NHC. Federal funding to the National Academy of Sciences may not be used to enter into a contract with any element or China-based affiliate of the NHC. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress a review of all funds that the National Institutes of Health have made available to the NHC since FY2010. This report must also be publicly available.
No Chinese Communist SURPRISE Parties Act No Chinese Communist Subterfuge via Unregistered Regime Presence Rendered Invisible to Shareholders and Equivalent Parties Act